Device for disintegrating ore in cars.



N0. 846,036. PATBNTED MAR. 5, 1907.

I. LAWLER. DEVICE FOR DISINTEGRATING ORE IN CARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1906.

JOSEPH A. LAWLER, OF BRADDOCK, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR DISINTEGRATING ORE IN CARS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed November 22, 1906- Serial No. 344.634.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. LAWLER, a resident of Braddock, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Devices for Disintegrating Ore in Cars; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to a device for thawing out bodies of ore or othermaterial which have become frozen in transportation in cars from themines to the point of consumption.

In the transportation of iron ore in winter season the ore, owing to themoisture therein, frequently arrives at the place of consumption in afrozen stat-e and in such condition that it is impossible to dischargeit from the hoppers of the car when the doors are opened. It is only bythe use of crowbars, picks, &c., that it can be broken up, while in somecases explosives are resorted to in order to disintegrate the mass. Suchproceedings are often attended with great and serious damage to thesteel cars, which are now almost universally employed for conveying theore.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient deviceto thaw out the mass of ore and enable it to be readily discharged fromthe hoppers when the doors are lowered.

To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated, a removableheater adapted to rest in the car with pipes extending therefrom intothe mass of ore and means for connecting the heater up with a pipesupplying said heater with steam or other heating medium, whereby heatis diffused throughout the mass, and a thawing out of the same results.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a hopper-car,showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal verticalsection through the hoppers. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view ofthe heater; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention in connection with asteel car of the ordinary hopper-bottom type, comprising the side walls2, bottom sheets 3, and the hoppers 4. These hoppers are four in numberand are separated by the cross-wall 5 and lon itudinal wall 6, formed ofhopper-plates in the ordinary manner. The cross-wall 5 is saddled by theheater 7, which may be formed of a hollow casting and adapted to litover and conform generally to the shape of said cross-Wall. The endportions of the heater 7 are slightly concaved, as at 8, and theintermediate portion is substantially straight to give greater strengthto the casting. The heater 7 is provided with the opening 9, to whichthe pipe 10 is connected. Additional pipes 11 are connected to openingsin the lower portion of the heater, said pipes extending down into thedifferent hoppers, one to each. 4

Before each car is loaded a heater 7 is placed in position on thecross-wall 5, with the pipe 10 extending up to a suitable height and thepipes 11 extending down into the several hoppers. The ore is thenintroduced into the car, filling the hoppers and covering the pipes 11and heater 7. The ore when loaded generally takes about the positionindicated in the drawing.

When the car arrives at its destination and. it is found that the ore isfrozen so that it will not chscharge through the doors when opened, asteam-pipe 12 is connected up to the pipe 10. The steam then passes downinto the hollow heater, and thence by the pipes 11 down into thehoppers. The heat given off by the heater, as well as the steam conveyedby the pipes 11, is diffused throughout the frozen mass, and athawing-out of the same takes place. This acts to disintegrate and breakup the masses of ore until they are freely discharged from the hoppers.It is apparent that hot water, hot air, or other heating medium might beemployed instead of steam.

By my invention I provide a device which may be readily removed when notrequired, as in the summer season or when the cars are used to transportother material which does not freeze up in the same manner as ore.Furthermore, by the use of my invention the severe wear and tear on thecars is avoided, as well as the labor of breaking up the frozen mass ofore to remove it from the car.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of aremovable heater therein, and means for connecting said heater up to asteam or like supply.

2. The combination with a hopper-bottom I car, of a removable heatercontained therein,

pipes leading therefrom to the several .hop pers, and means forconnecting said heater up to a steam or like supply.

3. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of a removable heatercontained therein, means for connecting said heater up to a steam orlike supply, and means for conveying heat therefrom to the severalhoppers.

4. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of a cross-support therein,a removable heater resting on said cross-support, and means forconnecting said heater up to a steam or like supply.

5. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of a cross-support therein,a removable heater straddling said support and means for connecting saidheater up to a steam or like supply.

6. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of a cross-support withslanting sides, a

removable heater engaging said support and conforming substantiallythereto, and means for connecting said heater up to a steam or likesupply.

7. The combination with a hopper-bottom car, of a cross-support therein,a removable hollow casting straddling said support, and

-means for connecting said casting up to a steam or like supply.

8. The combination With a hopper-bottom car, of a support therein, aremovable heater on said support, a pipe extending up from said heater,means for connecting said pipe to a steamsupply, and means for conveyingheat from said heater down into the several 35 hoppers.

1n testimony whereof I, the said JOSEPH A. LAWLER, have hereunto set myhand.

JOSEPH A. LAVLER. Witnesses:

J. B. MCMILLAN, CHARLES P. DOWLING.

